Margaret Paston to John Paston

87

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON²

To my rytz wurschipful Mayster, Jon Paston, be this
delyverid in hast, dwelling in the Inner Tempill.

     RYTZ wurschipful hosbond, I recommawnd me to zu,
         praying zu to wete that my kosyn Cler³ dynyd with
         me this day; and sche told me that Heydon was with
her yister evyn late, and he told her that he had a letter from
the Lord Moleynys, and schewyd her the same letter, praying
hym that he wold seyn to his frends and wele willerres in this
contre that he thanketh hem of her godewill, and for that thei
have done for hym; and also praying Heydon that he wold
sey to Rychard Ernold of Crowmer that he was sory and evyl
payd that his men maden the afray up on hym, for he seyd it
was not be his will that his men xuld make afray on noman in
this contre with owth rytz grett cause. And as for that was
don to zu if it mytz ben prevyd that he had don otherwise to
zu than rytz wold as for the mevabyl godis, ze xuld ben
content, so that ze xuld have cawse to kon hym thank; and
he prayd Heydon in the letter that it xuld ben reportid in this
kontre that he wold don so, if he had don otherwyse than he
owth to don.

     The frere¹ that cleymyth Oxned was in this town zastyr-
day and this day, and was ledgid att Beris, and this afternon
he rod, but qhedder I wote not. He seyd pleynly in this
town that he xal have Oxnede, and that he hath my lord of
Suffolkes² good lordschip, and he wol ben his good lord in
that mater. There was a persone warnyd my moder with in
this to days that sche xuld ben ware, for thei seyd pleynly sche
was lyk to ben servyd as ze were servyd at Gressam with
in rytz schort tyme. Also the Lord Moleyns wrott in his
forseyd letter that he wold mytyly, with his body and with his
godis, stand be all tho that had ben his frends and his wel
willers in the mater towching Gressam, and preyd Heydon
that he wold sey to them that thei xuld not ben aferd in non
wyse, for that was don it xuld ben abedyn by.

     My moder prayith zu that ze wil send my brother Willyam
to Kawmbrege anomynale³ and abok of sofystre of my brother
Emundes,⁴ the qheche my seyd brother be hestid my moder
the last tyme he spak with her, that he xuld asent [should have
sent] to my brother Willyam. The blisseful Trinyte have zu
in his keping.

Wretyn at Norwyche in hast, on the Wodenysday next be
for Palm Sonday.                          Zowres,

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is evidently both after
Paston’s expulsion from Gresham by Lord Molyns in February 1448, and after the
death of Edmund Paston in 1449. It cannot, however, be so late as 1450, else
Hauteyn would not have expected to obtain possession of Oxnead through the Duke
of Suffolk’s influence.                  ³ Elizabeth, widow of Robert Clere of Ormesby.

     ¹ John Hawteyn.—See Nos. 46 and 50.

     ² William De la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

     ³ A nominale.

     ⁴ Edmund Paston, who must have died very shortly after declaring his will on the
21st of March 1449.

APRIL 2

1449

APRIL 2

1449

APRIL 2